Белорусский Государственный Университет

Гуманитарный факультет

Кафедра общенаучных дисциплин

Курсовая работа

по страноведению

The UK as a member of the EU

Студентки 3 курса

Специальности СИЯ-КО

Кореньковой Н.Н.

Научный руководитель

Старший преподаватель

Рябова И.В

Минск – 2009

Content

 

Introduction

Chapter 1. History and reasons of the EU creation

1.1  A peaceful Europe (1945-1959)

1.1.1 The Robert Schuman declaration, 9 May 1950

1.2 Attempts of Britain

1.3 Government of M. Thatcher

1.4 The Treaty of Maastricht

1.5 Government of T. Blair

1.5.1 Social Chapter

1.5.2 The Treaty of Nice

1.5.3 Treaty of Accession

1.5.4 Under the Constitutional Treaty

Chapter 2. European economic integration

2.1 European Community Budget

2.1.1The budget as a source of problems among the EU partners

2.1.2 Budgetary revenues and expenditures

2.1.3 Reforms

2.2 Common Agricultural Policy

2.2.1 CAP objectives

2.2.2 CAP policies

2.2.3 UK policies

2.2.4 CAP inconsistencies

2.2.5 The 1992 and 1999 reforms

2.2.6 The 2003 reforms

2.2.7 The 2007-08 CAP Heath check

2.3 Economic and Monetary Union

2.3.1 European Monetary Union: reasons and history

2.3.2 Benefits and costs

2.3.3 The UK case

2.3.4 Summary and conclusions

Chapter 3. Politic integration the EU and the UK

3.1 Common foreign and security policy

3.1.1 Aims

3.1.2 The Main Players in CFSP

3.1.3 Common Security & Defense Policy (CSDP)

3.1.4 Conclusion

3.2 European constitution

3.2.1 The British Constitutional option: No constitution

3.2.2 Option 2: a none cosmetic revision

Conclusion

References

Introduction

The topic of my project is “The UK as a member of the EU”, which I have choose for my course paper. I consider this topic to be very actual and significant, because nowadays the European Union is the greatest political and economic centre of the world, an intergovernmental and supranational union of 27 democratic member states. The Union is constantly pretending to be the leader in world policy, but it has resistance on the part of several Member States. Traditionally Britain is one of them. Reason of such relations lies in a number of historical, cultural, political and economic factors. Relations with the EU for Britain are one of priority directions of policy, but at the same time the UK is craving for soverenity and independence and trying to keep influence on the political arena. That is why we can say “Britain is in the European Union, but not with it”.

The purpose of my project is to examine political and economic role of the UK in Europe.

I have established following problems for performance of the purpose of the project:

1.  Reasons of creation the EU and prerequisites for Britain to enter the Union

2.  History of relations

3.  Political and economic role of the UK in Europe and main problems, connected with it

My work includes besides introduction, conclusion and 3 chapters.

Chapter 1 describes the history the EU creation, premises of British membership and problems connected with it.

Chapter 2 examines the role of GB in the European Economic Integration basically in main spheres such as Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), European Community Budget and Monetary system. Benefits and difficulties in each branch are scrutinized as well.

Chapter 3 considers political place of Britain in the Union, its influence on coming to conclusions and attitude of British government towards European Constitution.

Chapter 1. History and reasons of creating the EU

 

1.1 A peaceful Europe (1945-1959)

The historical roots of the European Union lie in the Second World War. Europeans are determined to prevent such killing and destruction ever happening again. Soon after the war, Europe is split into East and West as the 40-year-long Cold War begins. West European nations create the Council of Europe in 1949. It is a first step towards cooperation between them, but six countries want to go further.

economic government integration european

1.1.1 The Robert Schuman declaration, 9 May 1950

9 May 1950 – French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman presents a plan for deeper cooperation. Later, every 9 May is celebrated as “Europe Day”

18 April 1951

Based on the Schuman plan, six countries sign a treaty to run their heavy industries – coal and steel – under a common management. In this way, none can on its own make the weapons of war to turn against the other, as in the past. The six are Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Building on the success of the Coal and Steel Treaty, the six countries expand cooperation to other economic sectors.

The 1957 Treaties of Rome established the European Community (EC) and the European

Atomic Energy Agency (Euratom). The EC set out

1.  to create a common market encompassing the elimination of customs duties between Member States, free movement of goods, people, services and capital;

2.  the removal of distortions in competition within this market;

3.  To coordinate transport;

4.  establish common agricultural and economic policies.

Euratom was set up to develop a common market in the peaceful uses of atomic energy. Under the Treaties of Rome, the Member States granted the European Commission a mandate to negotiate international trade agreements on their behalf.[5]

 

1.2 Attempts of Britain

Unlike other members, Britain had not suffered invasion in World War Two and unfortunately retained the illusion that it could play the role of a great power in its own right in partnership with the US, coincidentally up to the moment the EEC was born. ............